Jimmy And His Ninja Prince
by SpirkTrekker42
Summary: Jimmy Kirk is given a special Christmas gift by a mysterious elderly Vulcan. However, he receives more than he bargained for, when, thanks to his selfless actions, it comes alive… Based on the story of the Nutcracker. K/S. Written for the ksadvent comm


Disclaimer: The rights to Star Trek belong to Gene Roddenberry, and NuTrek belongs to J.J. Abrams, Orci, and Kurtzman.

A/N: This is written for the ksadvent community. I was going to use a story about Spock and his mother at Christmas, but then this plot bunny popped into my head. So, I ran with it. XD Please use your imagination when it comes to space travel – it's not supposed to completely make sense. Points if you get the Harry Potter and Princess Bride references.

A/N 2: This story was based off of Tchaikovsky's _The Nutcracker Ballet_. The ballet was based off a story by E.T.A. Hoffman and was later revised into a children appropriate version by Alexander Dumas Pere. I have taken some liberty with the story (there are no Scots in the ballet, for example) but for the most part I stuck to the original plot. The toy that is brought to life by the main character is still the focus of the story.

And now…without further ado, I present:

_Jimmy and his Ninja Prince_

_.~._

One night in Riverside, Iowa, snow began to fall, announcing the true arrival of the winter season. Thirteen year-old Jimmy Kirk glanced out of his bedroom window, mesmerized by the snow sticking on the crinkled, brown grass. Soon the party guests began to arrive, and a few of the boys began an impromptu snowball fight. How Jimmy wished he was outside with them! But he was not dressed for such activities. His dress clothes were too stiff and his tie felt like it was about to strangle him. Why had his mother insisted he wear this stupid getup? It was just a dumb party.

It was indeed the night of his mother's annual Christmas Eve bash at the family farm. Even after Winona Kirk remarried his stepfather, Frank, she insisted on carrying on the tradition that she had started with her first husband, and Jimmy's father, George. Jimmy only hoped that the arrival of his older friends Lenny and Monty would help make the night bearable, along with the presence of his older brother, Sam.

Jimmy decided that he'd better hightail it downstairs before his mom yelled at him for being late. Ever a ball of energy, he took the stairs two at a time, jumping the last three. The muffled sounds of chatter of the guests who had already arrived were coming through the living room. He was just about to peek his head in to see who was there when his mother found him.

"Oh good, Jimmy, you're ready," his mom said, sounding distracted as she smoothed his unruly hair into place. "Could you answer the door while I check on the ham?" Not bothering to wait for an answer, his mother left him standing by the door. Thankfully, the next family that arrived was the McCoys.

"Merry Christmas, Lenny!" Jimmy cried, holding out his fist for their traditional greeting. One complicated fist-bump later, the youngest Kirk invited the McCoys inside. "There's food and punch in the living room; presents go on the far table." Jimmy directed Lenny's parents, who had the decency to leave the two kids along.

"Dammit, Jim!" His friend hissed once they were alone. "How many times do I have to tell you? It's not Lenny anymore, it's Bones."

"Okay, Lenny-Bones," Jim teased as they headed for the living room. "That sounds _so_ much cooler."

"Unbelievable," Bones growled as they went to join Sam and one of their other close friends from school.

"There ye are!" Monty exclaimed, pulling both boys in for a bear hug. "I was beginnin' to get worried when ye dinnae come down with your brother!"

"I'm fine, Monty," Jimmy assured him. The boys had barely begun to converse before they were interrupted by their other friend.

"Uh oh, don't look now, Jim, but here comes trouble," Bones warned, pointing towards the entrance.

Jimmy looked over his shoulder towards the foyer. Another boy had shown up with his parents. The first distinctive feature he noticed was the flaming red hair. Crap. He hadn't realized his mother had invited the family of his arch-nemesis, Sean Finnegan.

"I'd better go greet them," he said, reluctantly trotting over to the Finnegans.

"Seamus, Lavender, I'm so glad you could come," chirped his mother's voice as she shook hands with Finnegan's parents.

"Thank you for the invite. I'm sorry we had to bring our son, but we didn't feel right leaving him all alone on Christmas Eve." Winona shot a warning look at her youngest.

"I'm sure Sean will get along just fine with the boys. Right, Jimmy?"

"Yes m'am." He would do anything to keep his mother happy on Christmas Eve, even pretend to be friends with the slimeball who tortured him every day at school, just because he got better grades. Jimmy grabbed Finnegan's hand and reluctantly dragged him over to his group of friends.

"Hey, you little shit," Finnegan said, finally out of his parents' earshot. "You touch me again, and you die."

"Go fuck yourself, Finnegan," Jimmy said, cheerfully flipping him the bird. He'd probably receive a beating once they returned to school and Finnegan had his bodyguards to do his bidding, but it was worth it.

"What did you say?" Jim smirked. Finnegan couldn't touch him here, and he knew it.

"Fuck off, Carrot Top."

"You'll be sorry," Finnegan warned, stomping off in the direction of the kitchen.

"Ach, lad, do ye think that was smart?" Monty worried aloud as Jimmy rejoined the group.

"Probably not," Jimmy admitted. "But I don't care. He can't hurt me here."

"Hey, Jim, the girls are here," Sam informed him from across the room. The elder Kirk was cozied up with his current girlfriend, Aurelan. They'd been together for three months, which was much longer than any of Sam's previous girlfriends had lasted.

"Hello, ladies," Jim greeted them each in turn as they approached his friends. Nyota and Chrissie just shook their heads, as they were used to his flirtatious antics by now. The other girls, however, were a little more receptive.

"Hi, Jimmy," Janice said shyly, flipping her blonde hair. She looked rather stunning in her tight red dress.

"Hey, pretty lady. That dress is a killer." He shot Janice a wink, and she promptly blushed.

"Jimmy was just going to get _me_ some punch," Carol reminded him, glaring at Janice for that little exchange.

"Huh?" Jimmy said, confused. "I don't remember saying-"

"_Weren't you, Jimmy_?" Carol glared at him. Jimmy winced; he'd forgotten he was supposed to be with Carol now. Oh well, old habits die hard.

"Um, yes. I'll go get you some right now!" he said brightly, making a run for it.

But Jimmy never made it to the punch bowl. That moment marked the entrance of a strange new arrival, and all of the chatter in the house immediately quelled. Upon closer inspection, it appeared the stranger was a wizened old man, tailored in a bulky grey coat and trousers. He was clutching a large parcel.

"Merry Christmas, sir." Winona blinked, astonished when the old man removed his hat to reveal a pair of pointed ears. Jimmy knew from his mother's reaction that this man had not been invited. "May I offer you something to eat?"

He shook his head, and took a few steps towards the living room. Amidst the mutterings and whispers among the guests, the elderly Vulcan scanned the room for something, his gaze finally falling on the group of children, who quickly looked away. All except one.

A curious pair of blue eyes met the Vulcan traveler's gaze without flinching. The boy stood up and made his way over to the mysterious visitor. He was not afraid. Nothing about this new arrival caused Jim to be alarmed. If anything, the Vulcan gave off an aura of peace and calm.

"Jimmy, are you_ nuts_?" Lenny whispered as Chrissie clutched his hand in fear. "Even old Vulcans have enough strength to crush your trachea if they want to."

Jimmy turned back towards Bones and rolled his eyes. Lenny_ would_ use the correct medical term for windpipe. When he grew up, the native Georgian wanted to be a doctor like his father, not a physicist like his uncle.

"He's right!" Finnegan added, eyeing the Vulcan in fear. "Your dad was killed by a Romulan, kin to Vulcans. Don't be an idiot, Kirk!"

"Jimmy, be careful!" Nyota urged, who was huddled together with Monty.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Jimmy exploded at his friends, then turning to the adults. "All of you? He's just a nice old guy."

"Oh yeah? Well if he's so nice, why don't you hug him?" Was the Irish boy's taunt. Kirk glanced up at Ambassador Selek, whose eyes were twinkling with mischief. But there was a sadness there that Kirk hadn't previously detected.

"Okay, I will," he shrugged. He threw his arms around the Vulcan's waist. When he pulled away, Ambassador Selek's eyes were misty. Jimmy imagined that if his father had been alive, this was what he might've felt if he hugged him. Unconditional love and understanding.

"Do I know you?" Jimmy whispered. There was no way he _could_ know him. Jimmy had never met a Vulcan before in his life. Yet something nagged at the back of his mind. In answer, the Vulcan placed a comforting hand on Jimmy's shoulder, and addressed the crowd.

"Greetings. I am Ambassador Selek of Vulcan. Do not be alarmed; Vulcans continue to practice the long standing tradition of non-violence. The attack on the _Kelvin _by our Romulan cousins has not influenced our beliefs. I grieve with thee, Mrs. Kirk."

Winona's eyes filled with tears of gratitude, touched by the elderly being's words. Frank, however, just gave the Vulcan a sour look for bringing up George. The Vulcan pretended not to have seen Frank. "I have journeyed far to come here, with a special gift for a special child." He indicated the parcel he was carrying.

"Ooh, ooh, me me!" The children and teens all rushed toward Ambassador Selek, their previous prejudices forgotten. _Now that the Vulcan was handing out free stuff,_ Jimmy thought with annoyance. Even Finnegan was jumping up and down, waving his hand in front of the Vulcan's face. But the Ambassador only had eyes for Jimmy.

"As you were the only one brave enough to approach me, I deem it is only fair that you receive my special gift."

"Me?" Jimmy said, in disbelief. All he'd done was be nice to the guy.

"Would you like to see your present?" the ambassador asked Jimmy, who nodded eagerly. Selek pulled out a beautifully wrapped rectangular prism-shaped package and handed it over. The boy eagerly tore into the paper, making short work of it. Opening the box, he pulled out his new toy and announced,

"It's a deluxe pre-reformation Vulcan Ninja action figure complete with lirpa and ahn-woon!" Jimmy gazed up at the ambassador, the appreciation practically glowing in his cerulean eyes. "This is _awesome_! I've always wanted one but they're too expensive. Guys, come see!"

Lenny, Monty, Nyota, Chrissie, Janice, and Carol came running over to see Jim's new action figure. Sean Finnegan, on the other hand, sulked in the corner, which was too bad, as the ambassador produced other smaller presents for the rest of the children.

The rest of the evening continued without incident, for the most part. After they had stuffed themselves silly, the children gathered around Ambassador Selek as he regaled them with Vulcan tales of old, and of battles and shieldmates and honor. Then Jim watched as his friends took turns daring each other to kiss under the mistletoe. First there was Sam and Aurelan, then Nyota and Monty, then Bones and Chrissie. Both Carol and Janice were eyeing him, and he pretended not to notice. He didn't know what was wrong with him! Usually he'd grab them both and go for it, but he just wasn't feeling it tonight. That was when he got to wondering where his Vulcan Ninja had gotten off to. It had been passed around from friend to friend all night. The girls had wanted to play with its long black hair, and the boys had wanted to give the ancient weapons a closer inspection.

"Looking for something, Jimmy?" Kirk spun around to find a sniggering Finnegan, holding_ his_ Vulcan action figure.

"Give it back, Sean," Jimmy said cautiously.

"Why do you want it, anyway?" Finnegan was carelessly swinging it around by the arm, much to Kirk's chagrin. "It's just a stupid doll."

"It's an action figure!" Jimmy corrected him. "And Ambassador Selek gave it to me."

"Chill, plebe, I'll give it back," Finnegan promised, but not before he yanked the toy's left arm out of its socket. "Here you go," he chortled, taking grim pleasure as Jimmy's expression changed from horrified to downright furious.

"You asshole!" Jimmy screamed, trying to run towards Finnegan but was held back by Bones and Monty.

"Jim, he's not worth it," Bones insisted, still grasping the flailing boy.

"But that was _my_ Vulcan, and he hurt it!" Jimmy tried to choke down his sniffles as he reached for his damaged Ninja.

"May I have a look?" It was Ambassador Selek.

"I-I didn't mean for it to get broken, I promise!" the boy cried, worried that Selek would think ill of him.

"It is alright, Jim," Selek said, gently embracing the boy. "I saw what happened. I believe your Ninja is quite fixable." Wordlessly, Jimmy handed the pieces over to Selek, who, with some difficulty, was able to snap the arm back into place.

"Thank you!" Jimmy cried, holding his Vulcan protectively. He wasn't letting Finnegan or anyone else get a hold of it again.

"You're welcome, my young friend. Take good care of him." Then Ambassador Selek turned to his hosts. "I am afraid I must be going." He raised his right hand in a Vulcan salute. "May you all live long and prosper." He turned to go.

"Wait!" Jimmy called. "Will I ever see you again?"

Selek smiled. "There are always possibilities." And in a blink of an eye, he was transported away from the Kirk home, and perhaps, back to his ship.

.~.

Selek's departure signaled the other guests that it was time to leave. Jim said his goodbye to his friends, while Winona thanked the adults for coming. As soon as the last guest had left, Jim suddenly found that he was very sleepy. His mother sent him upstairs with Sam, who made sure to tuck his younger brother in so that he didn't fall out of bed. (Jimmy was a very active sleeper, if you can imagine that.) While he drifted off to sleep, the young boy thought of Selek, and the ultimate kindness the old Vulcan had showed him that night.

_Several Hours Later_

Jimmy awoke with a start. He thought he'd heard a floorboard creak. The old house felt… different somehow. Colder. Creepier. He shivered in bed watching as his star-speckled curtains billowed in the breeze. Sam must have accidentally left his window open! Jimmy quickly got up and closed it, not wanting to let in any more cold air. At least it had stopped snowing.

When he returned to bed, Jimmy was overwhelmed with a sense of loneliness and the need to touch someone. He couldn't run to his mother, as Frank had threatened him with a beating if he ever disturbed them when their bedroom door was closed. He couldn't run to Sam, as his big brother always snuck out to spend the night with his girlfriend. Then he thought of his Vulcan Ninja. Wide-eyed, he realized he'd never even brought his new action figure upstairs! He pulled on his sneakers and his father's white Starfleet robe, preparing for the journey ahead.

Since he knew there was no way he'd fall asleep without it, Jimmy decided to risk the dangers of a dark house and crept downstairs to find his Vulcan. With every step he took, the stairs groaned in misery under his weight. Jimmy's heart pounded in his chest, and his palms grew sweaty. What if he made too much noise and woke his step-father? Would he receive coal and switches for Christmas instead of presents? (Jimmy wouldn't put that past Frank.) But thankfully, the risk had been worth it. Standing stiffly over by the Christmas tree was his very own Vulcan Ninja!

Jimmy reached the living room, and was about to head for his toy when he paused. Something just scurried past him! Heading towards the den, it disappeared under the cloak of darkness. Then another intruder scuttled in from the kitchen, creeping stealthily into the living room. Watching from a distance, Jimmy guessed that he might be facing a giant rat, based on the intruder's movements. But once the intruder's features were illuminated by the moonlight, Jimmy recognized the pointy-ears along with the tattooed face. It was a Romulan! It even might be part of the contingent of rogue Romulans that led to his father's death thirteen years ago… As much as he wanted to take the sonuvabitch down, Jimmy knew he needed to get help first. But when he backed up onto the stairs, his footsteps alerted the Romulan to his presence.

"Ayel!" The pubescent Romulan squeaked, motioning to his superior. "He's over here!" While Jimmy grappled with the Romulan, he knew he would be no match for the others, especially when they arrived carrying teral'ns; weapons that, when activated, resembled a trident. All five Romulans circled Jimmy, each flaunting their weapons and taunting the poor boy, who stood bravely with his fists raised.

"No one can save you now, Kirk," Ayel goaded the blond, who stubbornly refused to cry, even though tears were gathering in his eyes.

"Guess again," came a low voice.

.~.

End Part I

Part II

Kirk whirled around to find none other than his Vulcan Ninja, who had magically grown to a little above his height! The Ninja was brandishing his lirpa at the Romulans, who scattered when they noticed the lone Ninja was now backed by an army who had materialized from under the Christmas tree. Kirk was left by himself, staring down a small battalion of young Vulcan Ninjas carrying lirpas and ahn-woons. Their leader, his Vulcan, looked to be only a few years older than him! The human boy stared dumfounded at his pointy-eared protector, who wobbled across the floor to meet him. The Vulcan's steps were jerky and robotic – he did not have the same freedom to move about that a real Vulcan would have. Jimmy had no idea what to make of this larger-than-life action figure.

"Greetings, Jim," said his Vulcan, as if this sort of introduction happened every day. He came to a shuddering halt in front of the human, shaking as he bowed before him. "I am Spock. When the Romulans inevitably return, rest assured that I shall pledge my life to keep you safe."

"Whoa, whoa whoa," Kirk gulped, holding up his hands. "Back up a sec. Are you saying that there's going to be _more_ Romulans?"

Spock gave a small nod. "The odds are 99.9% in favor of the Romulans returning."

"Then we need to wake up my parents!" Jim exclaimed. "They'll know what to do." He tried not to dwell on the fact that he was talking to an overlarge action figure.

"Your parents cannot help us, Jim. You must trust me on this." The boy sighed.

"Fine. Do you think you and your army can really take them?"

"It is our sworn duty to protect you," Spock said seriously. "We will die fighting if necessary."

"But, but… what did I ever do to deserve this?" Jimmy stammered, still not comprehending why his action figure had a sudden surge of devotion toward him.

"You rescued me from that boy at the party, earlier," Spock reminded him. "Don't you remember?"

"Well, yeah," Jimmy said, his expression a big 'duh'. "He was messing with my toy, and I didn't like it when he tore your arm off, so I had someone fix it. But that's all you were. A toy."

"Appearances can be deceiving," Spock murmured. "Now, when the battle begins, you must promise me to stay where it is safe."

"No way!" Jimmy protested. "I wanna help fight!"

"It is illogical for one so young and untrained as you to become entangled with troubled Romulans," said the Vulcan. Jimmy could've sworn he saw the painted eyebrow twitch, but it had to have been his imagination.

"I'm not that much younger than you are, Spock." he countered. "At least lend me a weapon to defend myself."

Reluctantly, Spock called for a spare lirpa. Jimmy gave it a few practice twirls.

"Are you certain you know how to use such a weapon?"

Kirk rolled his eyes. "Uh, _yeah_. The sharp end goes into the enemy. I think I got it figured out, Spock."

"Very well." The Vulcan stared him down until Kirk quailed under his dark gaze. He took a seat in a chair in the corner by the tree, behind Vulcan Ninja lines. Jimmy watched as Spock gave his final orders to his troops. His stomach turned over as they waited for the Romulans to arrive.

The enemy did not disappoint them. Jimmy had been wrong when he had assumed that Ayel had been the Romulan leader. This time the Romulans were led by a beastly male with bulging arm muscles. He was taller than Ayel, and was also missing half of his right ear. Based on his appearance, Jimmy reckoned that this guy was no stranger to battles. Then he overheard one of the Romulans soldiers address the leader as 'Captain Nero'. Anger flooded Jimmy's body, as Nero had been the Romulan who had killed his father. Jimmy doubted he'd be able to obey Spock's order to stay where it was safe for long, not when his father's killer still drew breath.

"Attack!" Nero roared as he led the charge towards the Vulcan front line. "I want Spock dead _now_!"

Fearing for his Vulcan's life, Jimmy watched, helplessly as Spock bravely went out to meet Nero. Chaos erupted all around the human. Furniture and Kirk family heirlooms were carelessly destroyed. Romulans and Vulcans alike lay dead, their green blood spilling out onto the hard wood floor. The clash of the lirpas and the teral'ns along with the stench of rotting flesh was almost too much for Jimmy, as his stomach began to recoil.

But the boy couldn't take his eyes off Spock and Nero, who were duking it out a little ways away from the main battle. Jimmy figured that this would be a fight to the death, and his Spock was losing! The young Vulcan's small, wiry frame was just no match for Nero's insurmountable bulk. Spock tried a roundhouse kick, but his leg was grabbed by Nero, who pulled him to the ground. The evil Romulan raised his teral'n high, directly over Spock's heart. Jimmy caught Spock's eye, but the Vulcan looked away in shame.

"Now, Spock," Nero cooed as the Vulcan feebly struggled against him, "Prepare to meet your doom without ever knowing the warmth of your t'hy'la…"

"No!" Jimmy cried. He was too far away for his lirpa to be of any use, so he improvised. Jimmy ripped off his left sneaker and threw it directly at Nero. The Romulan spun around, wanting to know who dared to hit him on the head with a strange object. "Over here, douche-bag," Jimmy snarled, his lirpa at the ready.

"Ah, James T. Kirk." Nero dropped Spock, finding someone else to prey upon. The Romulan advanced toward Jimmy, who gulped. Maybe that hadn't been the best idea in the world. But it had kept Spock from getting hurt, and that was all that mattered. Jimmy glanced over toward the Vulcan action figure, who was slowly crawling toward them with his ahn-woon. Nero hadn't noticed.

"You killed my father," Jimmy snarled as the Romulan approached him. Nero's features twisted into a wicked grin. He had killed many in his past. This boy's father was just one of the humans he had murdered in cold blood.

"So?" The Romulan raised his teral'n, about to strike. But someone beat him to it.

"Perpare to die," the Vulcan finished for Jim. Spock flung his ahn-woon out, wrapping it around Nero's legs and pulling with all his might. The Romulan leader crashed to the ground with a cry, but Spock was not about to show any mercy.

"As it is Romulan tradition, I will grant you your last words, nothing more," Spock coldly informed him. This time their positions were reversed. This time it was_ Spock_ who held the deadly weapon over Nero. With a little help from a friend, David had finally beaten his Goliath.

"Spare me…a long death," Nero croaked.

"Denied," was Spock's swift answer, his lirpa flashing dangerously from above.

"Spock, wait. Don't kill him like that," Kirk insisted, rushing over to help his Vulcan in case Nero had any last minute tricks up his sleeve. "I know you're a badass Ninja and all, but is it really necessary to use the lirpa? Enough blood has been shed tonight." Spock averted his gaze from the trembling Romulan, training his eyes on Jimmy.

"There is an ancient Vulcan Ninja technique, known as tal'shaya," he admitted. "It was considered to be a merciful form of execution."

"Do it," was Jimmy's strong suggestion, even though it almost sounded like an order to Spock. "This bastard doesn't deserve it, but give it to him anyway. It's the right thing to do. I don't like watching anyone suffer." Spock had to agree with Jimmy's logic. It was against Surak's teachings to find enjoyment in another's pain.

"As you wish, Jim."

Spock threw down his weapon, and applied a sharp pressure against the back of the Romulan captain's neck with his fingers. Almost instantly, Nero's head snapped, leaving him dead. Once the rest of the Romulans saw the death of their leader, they knew that victory was hopeless, and they fled into the night. The other Vulcan Ninjas saluted Spock, and returned to their place underneath the Christmas tree. Jim watched, in a daze, as the bodies of the fallen Romulans and Vulcans evaporated into nothing.

"Jim." The boy turned towards the Vulcan's voice, but was blinded by a shimmering, white light. Once the light faded, a new being stood before him. This Vulcan was made of flesh. His long dark hair cascaded down his back, his skin was tinged with green, and his black robes swished when he moved towards Jimmy.

"Spock?" Jimmy asked, uncertain if this was indeed him.

"Yes, t'hy'la, it is I," was the contented reply. Spock was holding Jimmy's shoe that he'd thrown at Nero, effectively distracting him from finishing the Vulcan. He presented the sneaker to his rescuer who slipped it back on his foot.

"What does that Vulcan word mean?" Jimmy asked, although he already had a good idea. He guessed that it meant he'd have a strong tie to Spock for as long as they both lived.

"Roughly translated, it means 'friend'," Spock said slowly.

"Cool. I'm glad we're friends, Spock." Jimmy smiled at the Vulcan. Spock didn't return his smile, but Jimmy wasn't the least bit offended.

"Proper Terran decorum dictates that I must thank you for saving my life." Spock nodded at his friend. "Your actions were most valiant."

"Aw, it was nothing," said Jimmy, a light flush materializing on his cheeks. "I couldn't just stand by and let him hurt you! Besides, you saved my ass with your army. How 'bout we call it a truce?" He reached out his hand to shake the Vulcan's. Spock only hesitated a moment before returning the gesture wholeheartedly.

"Spock." Jimmy's new friend froze, and yanked his hand back. Both Spock and Kirk turned around to find an elderly female Vulcan entering from the fog-filled foyer. She was followed by an entourage of young and old Vulcans alike. Two were carrying ceremonial bells, and two more carried a chair for her to sit upon if she so desired. Even without the fog, the procession was rather surreal to Jimmy.

"Who is that?" Kirk wondered, his eyes landing on the woman's glinting headdress. "Is she royalty?" Spock sighed as he watched the matriarch slowly glided toward them.

"She is our queen, and my grandmother." It was the best explanation for his human friend. It was too complicated for him to explain the intricacies of Vulcan society in a conversation such as this. Kirk couldn't have been more surprised.

"So what does that make you?" Jimmy wanted to know.

"That makes me a prince, and after my father, the single heir to the House of Surak," Spock admitted.

"A prince?" Jimmy just gaped at his friend. "I thought you were just a Ninja." Spock's lips twitched.

"We all are prone to making false assumptions at times."

Kirk scowled at Spock, but it was a friendly scowl nonetheless. Spock was _royalty_? Would he still want to associate with Jimmy? What if this development prevented their friendship from continuing? But Spock's grandmother had caught up to them, so Jimmy had to focus on making a good impression. He put his doubts out of his mind for now.

"Greetings, young Kirk," said the female Vulcan, nodding at him. "I, T'Pau, speak for all of Vulcan when I express my gratitude for your actions. Now that Nero has been successfully terminated, we have all been returned to our original forms."

"Uh, you're welcome?" Kirk said sheepishly. This Vulcan lady intimidated him! He stood close to Spock as she came closer.

"In addition, you saved Spock's life even though you owed him nothing. As a reward for your honorable deed, you may visit our homeworld of Vulcan, just for tonight." The moment she finished speaking, a sleek silver mini-starship materialized from behind the fog.

"You have got to be kidding me," Kirk mumbled under his breath. The craftsmanship on the mini-starship was more advanced than anything he'd ever seen. He would give his right leg to fly it!

"Come, Jim. Our chariot awaits."

Jimmy just shook his head as Prince Spock offered his hand to him. This was too bizarre! But it was way too awesome to pass up. So he allowed Spock to drag him inside the ship, and on an adventure to Vulcan.

During their voyage, Prince Spock alleviated Jimmy's fears. The Vulcan promised he would treat him no differently, just because he happened to be royalty. In fact, Spock didn't even _want_ to be royalty. He wanted to explore the stars one day, just like Jimmy! Spock was just as relieved that Jimmy didn't care that he wouldn't show hardly any emotion. (Jimmy insisted that he was emotional enough for the both of them.) Now on an equal playing field, the boys continued to converse about anything and everything until the ship signaled they were coming up on Vulcan.

.~.

The rest of the night flew by in a blur. Jimmy distinctly remembered being welcomed to Vulcan by Prince Spock's young betrothed, T'Pring. She announced that she'd coordinated an evening of entertainment just for him, featuring some of Earth's culture. Jimmy sat in the chair for the guest of honor, barely able to contain his jealousy as he watched the pair of Vulcans performed a _pas de deux_. Their movements in perfect synchrony, the couple glided together across the floor in time with the jingling of the Vulcan bells. Jimmy had to admit, they were good. Spock in particular exuded a grace that fascinated the often-clumsy human. But once the customary dance ended, Prince Spock was content to sit next to Jimmy for the duration of the following performances. The young Terran was amused when a troupe of Scottish chefs prepared rather large sub sandwiches for the Vulcan prince and his guest. (Jimmy scarfed his right up, while Spock was content to nibble on the edges.)

The rest of the performances were no less than stellar. The Spanish dance was quite enjoyable for Jimmy as the couples dancing were Spock-free, as his prince was at his side. The Russian trio had him clapping along with the fast beat, especially when child prodigy and star Pavel Andreivich performed the tricky climax without falling, resulting with a fierce shout of "Hey!" The Japanese dance left him scratching his head as he watched performer Hikaru Sulu leap out of a large teacup and chase the female dancers around with a parasol, swinging it around as if it were a sword.

Jimmy barely noticed the Arabian dancers that followed as Prince Spock had reached for his hand. Their fingers collided in a subtle static hum, and Jimmy had no wish to remove his from Spock's warmth. He thought it was awfully nice of the prince to extend what he assumed was the Vulcan gesture of friendship when they had only met that night. Spock continued to hold his hand as they watched a company of Vulcans dancing with lutes (or was it flutes?) He was almost lulled to sleep during the tranquil 'Waltz of the Flowers', but was jolted awake just in time for the finale.

But after the performances had come to an end, Jimmy noticed that Prince Spock seemed kind of sad.

"What's wrong?" The human asked.

"Jim, I am sorry, but you cannot stay." Prince Spock looked away from his friend.

"Why not?" Kirk demanded.

"T'Pau said that you could only visit for a night," Spock reminded him. "And that night is almost spent."

"Oh," Jimmy said softly. He wasn't happy about it, but he understood. That had been the deal. "Will I ever see you again?" He couldn't imagine being parted forever from this fascinating being.

"There are always possibilities," said Spock, doing his best to speak the truth, but in a positive light.

"Huh, that's what Ambassador Selek said," Jim mused. Spock cocked his head.

"Who?" Kirk chuckled.

"Nevermind. I'm really going to miss you, Prince Spock."

"Just Spock will do," the young Vulcan reminded his friend.

"Okay, Just-Spock," he teased, but his heart wasn't in it.

"Do not be sad, Jimmy." Spock's hand touched Jimmy's cheek, his fingers ghosting over the meld points. "We will always be t'hy'la, even if we are billions of miles apart."

"Friends forever; sounds good," the human agreed, trying to sound cheerful even though a part of him wanted to latch on to Spock and never let go.

"Farewell, Jimmy," Spock whispered, bringing his hand closer to Kirk's in a slow-mo version of a Terran high-five. Their palms kissed briefly as Jimmy stammered out a goodbye of his own. Prince Spock's presence gradually faded away until Jimmy found he was standing all alone in his bedroom. His palm still tingled from where it had touched Spock's. Exhausted from his adventure, the boy crawled back in his bed to analyze everything that had happened, but he fell asleep before he could get started.

.~.

Jimmy woke up the following day in his own bed, and glanced at his chronometer. 0600. Still one hour left before he could go downstairs and open presents. That was when he remembered Spock. Where had his Vulcan prince gone? That was when he finally realized none of those events in the dream had actually happened. A great sadness settled in his chest - he was terribly disappointed that it had just been a dream. It all seemed so real! But at least he still had Spock, in a way. Looking around his room, he found his Vulcan Ninja action figure was waiting for him on his dresser. _Mom must've brought it up to me last night… _he thought.

"Hey, Spock. I had a dream last night that you were real, that there was this battle between Vulcans and Romulans in my living room of all places," he whispered as he got out of bed. "I saved you, Spock. We became friends and you took me on an adventure to your home planet." Jimmy picked up the Vulcan toy, returned to his bed, and protectively held it in his lap. "Stupid, huh?"

//Jim.// Jimmy gasped, staring openmouthed at the toy.

"Can you hear me?"

//Of course I can hear you.// Was the bemused response from Spock, although the toy remained as motionless as ever.

"I-I don't understand," Jimmy stammered. "It's like you're in my head."

//I am always in your head, and always will be.// Spock assured him. //I need you to wake up now, Jim.//

"But I am awake," the boy mumbled, yawning and resting his head on his pillow. Maybe if he just got one more hour of sleep, it would officially be Christmas. Just one more hour…

//Jim, my adun.// Someone was calling to him, just out of reach. He tossed and turned, struggling with all of his might to get to them. //Be still, ashaya.// The familiar voice soothed. He trusted that voice speaking in Vulcan. _Husband. Beloved_. Jim stopped moving, trying to relax. He was rewarded by the soft touch of lips upon his own_. I know those lips_. Jim opened his eyes to find…

"Spock!" He sighed in relief, recognizing that he was resting in their bed.

The Spock hovering above him was fully grown, his face betraying his feelings of unconditional love tinged with worry for Jim. It only took Jim a minute to remember that he was a grown man of twenty-seven and captain of the starship _Enterprise,_ not a pathetic thirteen year-old boy. He pulled his Vulcan down for a hug. "Oof!" Jim grunted, tightening his arms around his partner. "Ah, Spock. You feel so good." Finally, that aching loneliness was gone, just like magic, as their bond hummed in satisfaction.

"May I inquire as to the particulars of your dream, t'hy'la?" Spock inquired, as he nuzzled his bondmate's neck. Jim chuckled, remembering the events of his crazy dream.

"You were in it. So were most of our friends. But I doubt you'd believe what it was about." His Vulcan gave him a rare smile, full of happiness and love.

"Try me." And then he melded his mind with Jim's, to see for himself.

_The End_

.~.

A/N: Happy Advent to all my readers! Spread the joy of the season, no matter what holiday you celebrate. XD

Here's a Nutcracker/Trek character list, if anyone is interested.

Clara: Jim Kirk

Prince: Spock

Herr Drosselmeyer: Spock Prime

Party boy: Leonard McCoy

Party boy: Monty Scott

Party boy: Sam Kirk

Party boy: Sean Finnegan

Mrs. Von Staulbaum: Winona Kirk

Mrs. Von Staulbaum: Frank

Party girl: Carol Marcus

Party girl: Nyota Uhura

Party girl: Christine Chapel

Party girl: Janice Rand

Rats: Romulans

Rat King: Nero

Soldiers: Vulcan Ninjas!

Snow Queen: Vulcan Matriarch T'Pau

Sugar Plum Fairy: T'Pring

Russian dancer: Chekov

Chinese, well Japanese dancer: Sulu


End file.
